Eye Exam for Contact Lenses

Does eye exam for contact lenses expire after one year? I have my eyes
examed back to Feburary 2003. However, I went to Walmart tody to buy
contact lense and was told the prescription was expired. And it is
gonna cost another $65 for eye exam. It really does not make sense to
me. How much could my eyes change within one year?! I always thought
eye prescription lasts for two years!

Two questions:
1. Is there anyway I could get contact lenses without doctor
prescription, or at least without very strict rules? How about Canada?
2. Is there anyway I could get a cheaper eye exam?


Thanks

$65 is too expensive? Wow. In my office I charge $275 for contact
lens exams for new patients and $175 for returning patients.

It's not the prescription power of the lenses that people worry about.
It's the health and physiology of the eye. Often times, changes in
the eye health of contact lens wearers do NOT show symptoms until the
disease state is far advanced. That's why contact lens wearers should
be examined once per year.

nipidoc

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
> Does eye exam for contact lenses expire after one year? I have my eyes
> examed back to Feburary 2003. However, I went to Walmart tody to buy
> contact lense and was told the prescription was expired. And it is
> gonna cost another $65 for eye exam. It really does not make sense to
> me. How much could my eyes change within one year?! I always thought
> eye prescription lasts for two years!

Depends on the state. In California, prescriptions for glasses or
contacts are only good for a year.

> Two questions:
> 1. Is there anyway I could get contact lenses without doctor
> prescription, or at least without very strict rules? How about Canada?

What brand, diameter and base curve do you need? If you don't know the
answers to those questions it's a fool's errand to try to fit yourself
with contacts -- especially if you have astigmatism. I had to try 16
different pair of lenses over a period of perhaps six months in both RGP
and soft before finally settling on some that are adequate, but not
good, and the fit of which lenses varies greatly from individual lens to
individual lens. The exercise cost me $450 and I am unable to order
more lenses because some of the damn things may not fit even though they
all come from the same batch.

> 2. Is there anyway I could get a cheaper eye exam?

That's pretty cheap for a contact lens fitting, which may require MANY
return visits.

--
Cheers,
Bev
=============================================
If you are going to try cross-country skiing,
start with a small country.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, The Real Bev
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Depends on the state. In California, prescriptions for glasses or
> contacts are only good for a year.

I am pretty sure this became US law about a year ago. I think last
January. Contact lens prescriptions are only good for a year. It was
part of a law that requires the Optometrist to give you the
prescription.

--
Charles

That's pretty steep. Are you an optician, optometrist, or an
opthalmologist?

--
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"nipidoc" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> $65 is too expensive? Wow. In my office I charge $275 for contact
> lens exams for new patients and $175 for returning patients.
>
> It's not the prescription power of the lenses that people worry about.
> It's the health and physiology of the eye. Often times, changes in
> the eye health of contact lens wearers do NOT show symptoms until the
> disease state is far advanced. That's why contact lens wearers should
> be examined once per year.
>
> nipidoc
>